President Trump on Monday praised the NBA as “great entertainment” while acknowledging the league leans politically left, speaking to reporters after becoming the first sitting president to attend an NBA Finals game.
Mr. Trump attended Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden in New York, where the home-team Knicks fell to the San Antonio Spurs, 115-111, in a loss that snapped the franchise’s 13-game playoff winning streak. The Knicks still lead the best-of-seven series, 2-1.
Speaking outside Air Force One at John F. Kennedy International Airport afterward, Mr. Trump was asked whether the NBA had moved away from the political activism that drew fan criticism in recent years.
“Well, it’s a little left-wing,” Mr. Trump told reporters, according to The Hill. “Yeah, I think so. It tends to be a little left-wing, but it’s great entertainment. It’s great.”
The president also dismissed suggestions that he was met with a hostile crowd, insisting the reception inside the arena was positive.
“I mean, I thought it was amazing, actually,” Mr. Trump said. “You mean when they had the camera on me? I thought it was very good. … It was, I think, mostly cheers. It was loud, and it was very enthusiastic.”
NBC News reported that when Mr. Trump was shown on the jumbotron during the national anthem, he was met with loud booing from the sellout crowd, though cheers were also audible. He smiled and saluted through the song.
Mr. Trump attended the game alongside his granddaughter, Kai Trump, and Knicks owner James Dolan, a longtime friend who donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to the president’s campaigns, according to Time. Cabinet members, including Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, were also present.
The visit generated significant disruption ahead of tipoff. The New York Police Department enacted enhanced security measures across midtown Manhattan, fans were advised to arrive at least two hours early, and a planned watch party outside the arena was canceled. Some ticket holders faced waits of two hours or more to enter the building.
The appearance drew criticism from Democratic officials. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, New York Democrat, called the buildup a “vibes-killer” and said on Instagram that “the accommodations that are required for the security just for you to show up are not worth shutting down for other people.”
ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith also objected, writing on X that he takes issue when any politician “shows up, causes delays and interferes with these watch parties buzzing all over NYC.” He added, “It’s not political. It’s about the @nyknicks and the vibe this city has going.”
Despite the controversy, the game drew a roster of prominent guests, including Ben Stiller, Larry David, DJ Khaled, Tracy Morgan, Tina Fey, Timothee Chalamet, former Obama White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav and New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft.
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